


Smoked Salmon

by Crimmy



Category: Buzzfeed: Worth It (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:48:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21843940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crimmy/pseuds/Crimmy
Summary: Steven is sensitive about his hair. Which is to be expected when his soulmate mark has the words "Your hair looks like smoked salmon" in faded ink across his wrist.
Relationships: Andrew Ilnyckyj/Steven Lim
Comments: 6
Kudos: 167





	Smoked Salmon

Steven is sensitive about his hair. Which is to be expected when his soulmate mark has the words "Your hair looks like smoked salmon" in faded ink across his wrist. It doesn't even make any sense because Steven's hair is jet black, and he would never dye it salmon of all colors.

Steven refuses to give into his curiosity and dye his hair pink in an attempt to find his soulmate faster. He tells himself he needs to focus on his career, and until then, he’ll make sure to keep his hair black.

Getting hired at Buzzfeed was a dream come true, the opportunity to make videos on a platform that could reach millions. He doesn't need to distract himself with thoughts about soulmates and love. Especially since soul marks are practically impossible to decipher. They’re meant to be unique phrases that will be immediately recognizable if you hear them, and no one can see another person's soul mark so they can't accidentally say the phrase. Except the phrase could come from anyone, even people you already know, so you have no idea who your soulmate is until they say your phrase.

Steven could be sitting next to The One everyday at work, and he wouldn't even know!

So, frustrated and tired of the entire concept, Steven puts all thoughts of soulmates and marks aside until he can get his series idea approved and created.

And then he meets Andrew.

Andrew seems quiet and aloof at first, a cool and handsome coworker that couldn't possibly be interested in Steven's new food show. Except, to Steven's surprise, he accepts his offer to co-host with him now that Keith is unavailable, and he's actually a genuinely nice and funny person.

He makes stupid puns and laughs at all of Steven's jokes and dances, even the bad ones, and doesn't make fun of his social anxiety or the fact that Steven doesn't like parties.

So okay, Steven may have the smallest crush on Andrew and maybe even wishes the other man was his soulmate, but he knows there’s no point in pining so he throws himself into his work harder than ever and lives with the gentle reassurance that as long as his hair isn’t pink, he won’t find his soulmate.

Of course, the universe has other plans.

Steven rushes into the bathroom stall and tries not to throw up. He feels over-dramatic and stupid and anxious and everyone probably thinks he's getting worked up over nothing, but he can't help it. His hair is pink. Smoked salmon pink.

The video idea was innocuous enough, a fun experiment with slime and balloons that Steven got pulled into by Ryan. Admittedly, the slime balloon fight was really fun at first. Until Steven realized the gooey pink mixture bursting out of the balloons had some kind of dye in it that was mixing weirdly with his hair gel and staining his hair salmon.

And now here he was, gulping down deep breaths in a bathroom stall and trying not to panic. He isn't sure why he's so nervous about this, but he just doesn't feel quite ready. He isn't ready for a serious relationship, not while his show is doing so well. He's not ready to have another person else enter his life and expect love and affection from someone who can barely love himself. Perhaps the biggest fear of all is that he isn't ready for his phrase to come from the mouth of someone who isn't Andrew.

Steven hears the bathroom door bang open, and Andrew's voice drifts in. "Steven? Ryan told me you were here. What's wrong?"

Steven takes a deep breath and unlocks the stall door.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just being over-dramatic."

Andrew opens his mouth to speak but then he sees Steven's hair and his jaw snaps shut.

"You can go back now, it's okay--" "Your hair looks like smoked salmon," Andrew interrupts, turning bright red when he realizes what he just said.

Any other moment, a red-faced Andrew would make Steven giggle, but right now, he's too busy blanking out at the words he just heard.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry. I don't know why I just said that. We were doing an episode of Make It Fancy with smoked salmon and that's just the first thing that popped in my head, and really, it looks great. Pink looks great on you, and I think I'm just gonna shut up now..." Andrew rambles, trailing off awkwardly.

Steven takes a deep breath. "I've been in love with you ever since you made that fish pun in Australia, and I couldn’t stop laughing for 3 minutes straight.”

The blush on Andrew's face deepens even more as he beams brightly. "I’ve been in love with you too. And I knew you were my soulmate."

Steven laughs, "I can't believe it. I just wanted this so badly, and I can't believe it was you this whole time."

He pulls him into a tight hug before grabbing Andrew’s wrist to read the mark he should be able to see now that they’re soulmates. And lo and behold, a long spiraling phrase curls around Andrew’s pulse.

“Wow, you must have known it was me all along.”

Andrew shrugs. “I didn’t realize until you told us we were filming in Australia. And uh, I may have looked up a bunch of fish puns to find one funny enough to make you laugh for 3 minutes.”

Steven smiles before quietly showing Andrew his wrist. “I was scared of having to love someone and have them love me back. So I never dyed my hair, and I thought I’d be able to avoid the whole thing altogether,” Steven admits, “But, I guess the universe had other plans.”

Andrew looks down at his phrase, tracing the words with the lightest touch that sends shivers down Steven’s spine. “It would have happened at some point. I have faith in you, Steven.”

He pulls him into another hug and murmurs, “Can I kiss you?”

Steven shivers before nodding. Andrew surges forward, capturing his lips in a gentle kiss that quickly deepens as Steven tilts his head and presses back against the solid warmth of his mouth.

They break apart after a while, Steven’s hands gripping the front of Andrew’s shirt. His heart might be thumping in his chest like a jackhammer, and he might feel like he can't breathe, but he's so unbearably happy, laughing into Andrew 's mouth as they pull each other into another kiss.

“You know,” Andrew remarks later when they’re back at their desks, “Pink hair looks pretty good on you.”

Steven blushes. 

“I have to admit,” He says, looking at his hair in the selfie he’s planning to post of him and Andrew in the bathroom,

“It’s kind of growing on me. Maybe I’ll keep it.”


End file.
